Rebels
by SeptemberEnds911
Summary: Part Two, after WSTW. Rating for Violence, language, other themes.


Rebels

_Introduction: The Transformation_

_There is a stage we all go through, where we have found ourselves, but we're not quite there yet. This "in between stage" is where we morph into the person we want to be. Alec knows what he wants to be, who he can be, but he isn't there yet. Like what we all have to do, he has to go through a journey of his own, so that he can be who he wants to be. It doesn't just happen overnight. He, like us all, must become the person he can look into the mirror and like what he sees. Once that happens you begin to find your purpose in the world you live in. So go out there, let your confidence grow, take your weapons and fight!_

Alec was sure to stay nearby to Magnus; the further they made their way out of The Community the less Alec knew the area. He had never seen so much security around, like they weren't just to keep people from entering, but from going outside, like it was supposed to be a secure prison. Watchtowers surrounded the perimeter, guard dogs stood alert; men armed and trained to shoot with deadly accuracy, completely hidden from the people on the inside. A pretty shell to keep the ugly truth from reaching to anyone that could revolt and try to escape. There was no choice

After they managed to slip out of The Community through an underground tunnel, that was concealed and unknown to the Community Troopers, Alec was met with the Middle Earth. Past the search lights and cement walls was what the rebels called Middle Earth. Before you could reach the safety of The City you had to cross the destruction the war had given birth to.

The building barley existed anymore, standing only as a mass of wreckage and forgotten memories. Smog clung to the ground like bloody smoke, thick and red. The streets were lined with broken boards of rotted wood and rusty dreams. Each step they took brought the crunching of bone debris. The air was stiff, suffocating like death. Above lay the sky, warped into grotesque hazes, groaning in agony as the bloodshot heavens overhead burned through the clouds cloaked with humid tar. Fiendish birds, singing their dreadful lullabies of the damned, speckled the bleeding sky with their foul forms, a tune of mourning and sorrow filled nights.

As they advanced toward The City the more alive things began to be, filling with a sense of anticipation and strength. The buildings no longer gave off the somber symphony of the deceased and broken, but a raging melody of the fighters and their sprit. They were forgotten by everyone but the people that dwelled within them.

They passed an old 50's-esque theater, held up with steady support beams. Shot out light bulbs bordered the sign, the plastic letters cracked, most of them lost in the dry wind, the reminder of its final performance, trapped in the past with only a dim remembrance of its glory. It was decimated by The Community in an attempt to rid The City of its wonders.

The sky above whirled into the midnight sunset of vibrant oranges and reds, the pulsating background of livid purple smoke. Silhouettes of the structures stood starkly in the landscape.

"I'm going to take you to Jace; he's watching the Zone we're in now until he selects a more permanent leader."

Alec glanced at Magnus, waiting for further explanation.

"He'll show you the ropes and introduce you to everyone. We're all family here, so I wouldn't worry about anything like that. Just be yourself," he smiled, dark hair chaotic around his face, "You'll do good here."

"You seem so sure of that."

Magnus only quirked a smile and motioned Alec to follow, taking him through back alleys, always keeping them close to the shadows. Alec made sure to take in every sharp turn and hidden way as he trailed behind Magnus, his eyes never faltering in their focus.

He stopped them in front of a soot colored door, an eye level metal latch snapping open immediately upon the sound of three knocks from Magnus

onto the wooden surface.

"Ah, you're finally here, people been getting restless, you not showing up as early as we expected. At least you got the boy," the man hissed, his words coming out with urgency, "Wasn't a total waste then, at least we hope not."

"I guess we'll have to wait and see, but until then," he cut himself off, motioning to the door.

"Oh, right," the metal latch clipped shut, a series of slides, clinks and gears behind the door rattling in a reckless paced order down the door before it swung open.

Magnus treaded inside, his boots heavy on the old wooden floor. Alec followed, senses on high alert, catching the slightest sound of the door sealing behind him, enclosing them in near darkness. Only a small light bulb, hanging from a thin string, swung in the air, giving off a dull light in the lengthy hallway.

Down the hall a sliver of light fell from the cracks of a door. Voices bolstered in the room, restless and strained for resolution.

Magnus opened the door, stepping through the threshold, followed by Alec, who seemed skittish in comparison. Instantaneously the voices silenced into a low murmur, all eyes glancing toward Alec for a spilt second before resting on Magnus in relief.

Alec took in the room, with the large mob of people nearly filling the room completely, and tried to calm himself. Moving his thoughts away from the people he observed the large fireplace that rested on the far end of the room, which functioned as both the light and heat source of the area.

One man stepped up. He was an inch or so shorter than Alec, with muscles that were well defined, exposed by a cut off jacket vest, patched and ragged, similar to his jeans that frayed over his well-worn boots. His eyes were hard and calculating, like the sun, as he took in Alec's appearance. He was young, maybe a year or so younger than Alec, but his eyes were aged with war, heavy with the burdens he had taken on at a young age.

"This is who you were looking for," he scoffed, "Doesn't seem like much."

Magnus twisted his mouth into a self-assured smile, "Not yet maybe. He won't be another "who cares" "shot dead" kid, I'll promise you that Jace."

Jace nodded, not fully convinced, and moved to look Alec straight in the eye, "Now's the time to show your stuff," he spoke directly to Alec, not missing a beat, "People talk, but people separate. We don't need that here. We hear the same damn excuses when danger's headed our way, I don't want to be hearing them from you," he looked at Magnus, not letting Alec reply, "How you've chosen this one."

After things had calmed down Magnus brought Alec to the top of the building where they sat on the edge, looking out into the Zone. The sun was setting, dusting the sky in nighttime oranges and purples fading into deep blues, a painting that no one can erase or water down. Stars were peeking out, dim and sparkling silver in the sky, awaiting their moment when they could shine in the darkness.

"I want you to do something for me Alec," Alec turned his head, starlight blue and poisoned eyes meeting, "For every breath of dusty air, I want you to stand tall, an awaiting host," Magnus took a breath for composure before continuing, "You, like all of us, like each lit cigarette we burn our best when no one is around to stop us. Out here," he gestured to the decaying structures that still held strong, "No one can stop us if we don't want them to, and it's ours. We'll live in the dread and they'll watch as we survive tomorrow."

Alec tilted his head back, letting Magnus' words sink into his heart. His eyes sparkled with the stars, "Back in The Community," he never saw it as home, "I would sneak out at night," he smiled to himself, "I would sit outside along post traumatic scenes, wishing I believed in something more. I think I found it," he pointed at a star, "You see that star there?"

Magnus nodded, "The North Star."

"I call it the Mourning Star. It's always pointing the way out to those who deserve it."

Alec looked back to Magnus, he looked nervous, something Alec was seeing for the first time.

"Alec, I want to do something okay?"

He nodded slightly, watching with wide eyes. Magnus was pulling out a dagger from a pocket in his coat.

With a steady hand Magnus slide the knife cleanly through the palm of his hand, deep enough that, once it healed, a scar would remain. He looked up at Alec.

"It's something we do here, a way to write our names in blood with someone they care about. Our version of a promise ring," he searched in Alec's eyes for an emotion he was hoping to find, "You don't have to-"

Alec took the knife, and repeated what Magnus had just done, cutting past skin, a line of blood flowing to the surface from the deep cut. A grin danced on his lips as he shifted closer, turning so they were face to face.

Magnus cleared his throat, keeping his voice even and full of the promise he was going to keep, "In this moonlight hour I promise a thousand miles with you."

"I'll never let go of you," Alec choked out, his voice failing him,

The brought their hands together, the blood snaking across their skin to mix into the other's body, dripping on the pavement below in a twisted design of their unbreakable vow.

After Magnus had left to take care of his Zone Jace had explained how The City was divided into different Zones, each with its own leader. It was to keep any one person to rise up and take total control. No one wanted any one person to rise up and take total control of The City. They didn't want another corrupt dictator to deal with. He also explained that the Zone they were in was currently without a permanent leader.

Alec was curious, "What happened to the leader," he asked, hoping he wasn't overstepping any boundaries; he wasn't sure what to make of Jace as a whole just yet.

Jace shifted on the bar stool, jaw set in anger, but no because of the question posed, "He betrayed us. Took a group of us out on a supply search, it was supposed to be an easy mission. The kids were young too, they all trusted him, and he was a part of their slaughter," he exhaled, long and deep, a heavy burden resting on his shoulders.

It was quiet, a silent scream in the run down bar, before Alec asked about another thing that was weighing on his mind, "Why haven't you taken over as the leader of the zone?"

A deep chuckle burst from his thick throat, one that threw Alec off. It wasn't something he expected to see Jace do.

"I couldn't do it," he said sobering up, "I'm no good with strategy and morale. I can keep people in line, but that's not all that a leader needs to be able to do. What we need is someone who hasn't been torn apart by war and death. Who remembers why we're here in the first place. It's easy to forget when you grow accustomed to a hard life," he looked down at Alec, and Alec saw emotions running through his eyes that seemed to wild to be true. It was haunting and it bore down into Alec's soul, "We need someone who can bring us back together, who can stitch our wounds that we've ignored for too long."

"Not bad, not bad at all. You're a fast learner, more so than I gave you credit for when I first saw you, like you were born to do it."

Alec reached down, offering a hand, gripping tight and pulling Jace back up to his feet. He was breathing in the dusty air, stretching out his arms. Jace had taken it upon himself to teach him how to fight, with both guns and hand to hand. Learning how to shoot had been easy, he found he had a quick eye and near perfect aim. The sparring and hand to hand had been more difficult. As someone who had been the victim to physical violence it was hard for him to grasp that he could fight back with force and win.

He gladly took the water offered to him, griping it in his gloved hands, the ones Magnus had given to him. Sighing he leaned back in the chair where his jacket had been discarded. With the heat it was easier to train wearing his black wife-beater. Even Jace had done the same, his vest tossing it to the side.

His hair was plastered against his face with dirty sweat, annoyed he pushed it behind his ear. It was getting longer, to the point where it fell close to his shoulders.

"You need that cut there Alec?" Jace chuckled, running a hand through his short locks.

Alec shook his head, opening his mouth to say something, cut off by a female voice calling out for their attention.

He jerked around to catch a girl marching headed toward them, a metal case hanging off her shoulder by thick straps. She was covered in fantasy tribal tattoos, all running together in an array of colors swirling everywhere on her body. They were shown off by a slashed t-shirt that hung off her right shoulder, a tartan skirt decorated with studded belts, similar to those to those around her neck and protruding from her ears. She had long hair, pulled straight back in a fierce pony tail, her hair long and dangerous. She had a whip attached to her waist.

Her whole look seemed to match her personality; sharp and dangerous and 100 percent her own.

"Alec, this is Izzy, one of the Zone leaders, I called her out to see you."

"This is him," Izzy asked, taking Alec in.

"Um…" Alec muttered.

"Izzy is a master with ink and needles. I thought it was about time we had you inked. The CTs have been quiet, probably cautious with Magnus back, there's not going to be a better time.'

Izzy dropped her case, dust rising from the impact on the stone, "No time like the present, and after talking to Jace and Magnus I know exactly the ink I'm going to do."

Izzy sat back and observed her work. His unusually pale and untouched flesh made for the perfect canvas for her needles. The harsh black lines draped around his wrist and up his arms like vines. The barbed wire like tribal worked its way to surround his throat. It was fashioned to look constricting and painful to those who overlooked it.

With nimble fingers she held her piercing gun to the cartilage of his right ear, pushing the trigger to slide straight through the skin. A needle point grin graced her lips as she slipped the ring thought the newly formed hole

"I think you get too much pleasure out of this," Alec winced as pain shot up his arms as he shifted too much, "Have you been doing this long?"

She nodded, face thoughtful, "I got into this when I was thirteen years. Ran away from home, I hated it there," she shrugged nonchalantly before going into a bout of nostalgia, "I worked hard out here, I loved it so much, still do, and when the leader of my Zone died, the CTs got to him, he left me in charge," Izzy smiled at the thought.

Alec glanced at her hand, noticing that she had a scar, shiny and old, on the palm of her left hand.

"It's a blood promise, we made one together," she took hold of her needle gun, "I noticed you have one too," she watched as he nodded and left it at that, "So, I need you to open your mouth and stick out your tongue now."

He shook his head, "Oh, no, I'm not going to let you do that too."

"Don't be a child."

"Haven't you done enough," he half pleaded, wary of the needle in her hand.

When her face didn't change he sighed.

"Now, I want all of you to collect the supplies up in the second floor. I'll stand guard and alert you if we need to pull out."

The group of recently recruited rebels nodded at Jace's words and headed straight to work. It was a quick mission, just to find extra supplies to send off to another Zone that needed some assistance. It was their first mission, and Alec was told that if anything happened to Jace, it was up to him to get the others out of there.

The old warehouse was unearthly still, but for the efficient work the small group was diligently accomplishing. Jace called up to them, motioning them to finish quickly. The sound of a gun blast below had them halting any action, their instincts kicking into high gear.

Collecting the gear they knew there was only one exit. No windows were on their floor to escape from. Alec went first, gun at the ready. Instantly they were swarmed, fires loud in the building like an awaiting host.

CTs were everywhere, an unrelenting wave of firepower. It wasn't hard for them to gain the upper hand, separating the rebels until they were individually surrounded and out of ammo, forcing an ultimate surrender.

Gritting his teeth Alec resisted the urge to fight back as his wrists were bound together with thick cuffs. Anxiously he saw Jace, on his knees, thick blood trailing down his face from a nasty cut on his forehead. His eyes told Alec to live, which meant that he had to resist the natural urge to fight back that seemed to be pulsing through his veins.

"Not so tough now are we?"

He bit back the sharp remark he knew would get him into more trouble than it was worth, and scowled as a man walked through the cracked and broken door way.

The man was defiantly a general of some sort; his uniform was crisp white, with medals decorating his chest. He looked down his nose, to where the others, who had been a part of the mission, were restrained, observing them with a cool indifference. His whole air was one of pure arrogance and superiority.

"I don't think we'll be needing those dirty things. Kill them."

Guns fired at the command of the icy voice, Alec chocked on a scream, trying to break free of the iron hold on his hair and wrist, the frozen gaze landing on him. The death of his companions were sending him into shock. To see death for the first time, and to see it over take people he had come to see as his brothers and sisters, it sent his mind spiraling into loss.

"And who is this," he chided, glancing surreptitiously at Jace, "A new convert?"

"Leave him alone Jonathon," barked Jace, fighting against the men holding him back.

"So what set you free," Jonathon spoke to Alec directly, "Or should I ask 'who?' I doubt it was Jace, so who was it," he sauntered to where Alec was being held, his gloved hand gripping Alec's jaw, fierce and commanding respect.

"Fuck off," he spat.

"Oh, such language," he tutted, "I'll bet it was Magnus," Jonathon watched his eyes flash, a hollow point smile curling his lips into a sneer, "Oh, he would have found such a pretty face too," he straightened up, "We'll be taking these two."

Alec woke up with a harsh pain sharpening the back of his head. It was dark and he had to take time to let his eyes adjust to the stiff darkness encasing him. His wrists chained to the wall, restricting his movements.

It wasn't long before a metal door swung open, blinding him momentarily before his eyes adjusted to the sudden change.

"Aw, good, you're awake."

Alec looked up from the damp floor, eyes glowering, letting his long hair fall into his face in vulnerability.

"You know, I was there through the ages. I saw the cycle of pain of, what seemed to be, a one thousand year old reign. I saw the infection and famine, the suicide and salvation. I realized that there was something more for me than slumming it in The City."

Alec grimaced at Jonathon's words that slapped him in his face. He had been a rebel, before he sold his soul to the unforgiving and cruel.

"The worm that burrows through your brain is stronger than you, it seems. Just like the rest, you'll die in vain to keep us from succeeding," Alec bit out, ignoring the sting.

"You're the one by yourself here tonight Alec." Jonathon allowed nonchalantly, not fazed by Alec's words, "I tried to save you."

"You're just another straight edge poser preachin'. Well I don't want to be another dead weight victim of love and tragedy," he retorted, unfazed.

"Oh, I think that it's a little too late for that. If your scar is anything to go by," Alec's eyes widened, turning a sickly blue, "Oh yes, I see that you've got a few skeletons with skins in your closet."

Alec hung his head, listening to boots click across the floor until a shadow rested over Alec, "When you were baptized in this world you ignored the problem. You-"

"They tried to make you glimmer in anti-sin," Alec cut in.

Jonathon continued, "Now you're lost where The City only breeds evil. Just say a prayer to end today," he said as if it was the simplest thing to do in the world.

"I won't let you suffocate me. I've still got my pride. I'm alive and burning. You're self-righteous, have it your way, you'll only die a dream forgotten, and I'll never let you seal my coffin."

"Fine then. You could have walked away," he smirked, "Rot in this jail with the others."

He found that they were being held in a low security prison. It was where they brought rebels who didn't pose much of a threat. It handled like a normal prison would. Prisoners would be released for meal times and once a day they would all be released into the prison yard. The main difference was the cells. Chains hung from the walls to secure to wrists, and if you weren't breaking fast enough, they'd place a dog collar tight against your throat. It was all made to bring them into a less than human status. More like dirty beasts than people. It didn't happen often, it was usually something that was used to threaten inmates into submission, because it was more than just having to wear a collar.

"Come now Alec, it will all be so much easier if you just cooperate with me," the slimy voiced slithered into Alec's ears, attempting to bend and twist his will.

The binding around his wrists were tight, the rust digging into the soft flesh, blood flowing freely from shallow cuts. He had been stripped of his clothing, forced to wear nothing but thin gray pants and shirt that hung off his body, swallowing him whole. It gave little resistance to the chill that passed through the cell, leaving permanent goose flesh dotting his skin. A collar had been placed around his neck only a day before, compressing against his throat, making his breathing uneven and tight.

"You just need to accept your fate here, like the rest of them."

_Them_. The rebels that have been trapped here for so long that the light had faded from their eyes. They shuffled to where they were told without question. They looked down at Alec with pity painted on their faces when he came out with bruises and contusions over his body. Even Jace was slowly degenerating; Alec could only imagine what had been done to him. No, he didn't ever want to die inside again, and he would be damned if he let the others trapped continue to hide in the lost shadows.

A gloved finger twisted a strand of his hair, grown past his shoulders, dirty and lips around his face.

"I could cut this hair of yours. You seem to treasure so much," Alec glared defiant and unrelenting, "But then it might ruin that pretty face of yours," his grin twisted, "And we wouldn't want that to happen now, would we?"

"Go to hell," Alec spat in his face, smirking at Jonathon's disgust.

Jonathon jumped back, glaring down at his prisoner. A slap echoed in the cell, flaming against Alec's cheek. It was demeaning and he relished in the pain that flashed in the rotted eyes of the rebel.

"We'll see how well you do with another day locked in here."

Boots treaded out the door, closing it with a deafening chink, inhibiting all light from entering the perpetual nightfall.

Alec eyed the guards warily, they weren't paying any attention to what the prisoners were doing, but that didn't mean that he shouldn't be cautious.

He watched Jace sit down beside him, keeping his gaze steady and even.

"We need to get out of here."

Jace nodded at the statement, they hadn't made to much contract in the prison and he was getting a close up view of Alec. It made his stomach churn to see the damage. There was a war going on, but the things these people did were grotesque. He knew the pain, but to see it on a kid made things far too real and disgusting. The collar was what made his blood boil. It was obvious that Alec had trouble breathing. Deep purple bruising littered around his throat, angry against the skin. This wasn't met for even a ravage animal to endure.

"I know a guy in here; he can get our Zone, Izzy's and Magnus' out here. They're the closest to us. I think it will be ready in three days if we act now."

Alec nodded, smile playing on his lips, "Ever hear of a prison riot? If I can get everyone to come together, we'll have a chance. There's enough of us."

"You sure you can do that?"

Alec turned to look Jace in the eyes, a spark in his emerald eyes that seemed so out of place with their surroundings.

"I can remind them why we fight."

Alec sat on a lone bench out looking the prison yard. Eyes of living death took in his environment. Rebels of all over the Zones were confined here. He could see Jace across the yard, giving him the signal that it was safe to begin.

He stood up, back straight and eyes shot frontward. None of the guards were paying him any mind; too busy gambling with each other. When Alec reached the middle of the yard, eyes and heads began to turn, but only in slight interest.

For a second a flicker of fear and hesitation shot across his face as he stepped up on a wooden bench, the amount of people he had to speak to catching him off guard now that he was presented with the actual situation.

He cleared his vocal cords, willing his body to relax, "I hear those voices calling, for me to take my life. The voices of the CTs and everyone who stands in our way," more heads began to turn, their attention caught, "They're calling out to all of us to take our lives," he took in a shaky breath, eyes falling into steel traps, "In time, and not in vain, I have washed my hands of yesterday. Now it's time to say your prayers, where they can take their crosses, we'll live without them," his voice began to take on more strength and conviction with each word spoken, "We can watch as they seal their graves." A large mob was forming now, completely raptured, and alerting the guards to danger. Their eyes were glowing in the crowd, alight with a new life.

"They let you drink the pain, and it led to find your hell-less home."

Alec looked a little anxiously at the guards, "The renegade is near for one last stand before the gates of hell," it was nearly time for things to start happening, "We need to bring out our one shot rhythm to the gunsling."

A crash came as the iron gateways opened from both ends, one releasing guards of stained white, the other, rebel reinforcements. From above stood Jonathon, watching from a tower, as the prisoners ran to the new invading rebels for weapons. He kept his eyes trained on Alec, watching as he was embraced by Magnus before a rebel yell sounded, the fight breaking into a riot of gun powder and bodies.

From below Alec fought in the wedding of the damned. He kept the gun steady in his hand and always trained on a target, determined to make it out alive.

"Aren't you the good shot," a barrel of a gun tapped his shoulder, his immediate response to turn around halted by a hand swiftly gripping the back of his neck, pulling at his hair.

"Now, now relax," a slippery snakelike voice chided, "You and your demons have done quite enough damage."

"Anti-Christ to you, fallen angel to us."

"You're not one to sit around and beg, are you," the grip tightened and Alec struggled not to move or hiss in pain.

"Not while you send out our children to serve bastards and whores," he chocked out.

"You just don't know how to-"

"Alec!"

"Ah, look, it's Magnus. Come to say 'so long my sweet?' Very tragic, I'm sure," Jonathon moved the gun to the base of Alec's throat, pulling him close, "Better cross your heart before you die Alec."

"Let him go," Magnus demanded, his voice wavering, panic over coming his body.

"I don't think I will. I don't owe you anything, and besides, he's too well spoken for his own good. We can't have that now, can we?"

Taking a breath Alec relaxed and brought his heel down, scrapping against Jonathon's shin, shocking him into forgetting momentarily about the gun in his hand. Acting fast he threw back his head, releasing the grip on his hair and neck, catching Jonathon's nose in the process. Without thinking he pivoted so he faced the man, bringing his gun up to look him dead in the face.

"Looks like you can talk the talk, but can't walk the walk," Alec smirked, satisfied with the blood pooling from Jonathon's broken nose, a small satisfaction overtaking him with the knowledge that he was the cause of it.

"You won't win this fight. Those graced by God will be the surviving victor."

"You just don't get it. We'll never fight die out," he shook his head a little sadly, "As long as one of us stands, we'll fight back."

A gun shot rang, reverberating against the steel walls to deafen the field into silence. A body fell limp on the ground, a white jacket glowing into a red river on the pavement. Eyes cold as ice burned out from the fire. A general and traitor, the first of its kind to fall.

Magnus sucked in a quick breath, the hand holding onto his tightening its grasp.

Alec gave him an apologetic look, "Sorry," his breath came out in a hiss of air as he gasped in sharp pain.

Luke, their doctor in the zone was hard at work to remove the collar that seemed to have embedded itself into his skin. His work caused it to tighten against Alec's airway before it slacked its grip; a pattern that repeated until it broke apart, falling to their feet.

Underneath, where the collar had been attached, the skin was inflamed and covered in a mess of bruising. Magnus' eyes burned when he saw the coloration on Alec's neck, standing harshly alongside his tattoo.

Luke explained that it would be sensitive for a while, but there would be no permanent damage.

Alec felt his breathing settle back into a normal pace, a twinge of pain arriving with each breath, but it felt better to feel the supply of oxygen fill his lungs.

"I think you're going to be fine, so long as you don't do anything too strenuous. For the most part your body should heal itself. The warm summer heat you're exposed to now will do you good from the cold environment you were susceptible to in the cell. You didn't have any broken bones, so that's a really good thing. The only thing I'm worried about is that neck of yours," Luke rooted through his bag, pulling out a small tube, "Use this on your neck each day until you run out."

Alec nodded, thanking him as he took the medicine, Luke strolling out of the room to attend to anyone else who needed looking after.

"How are the others," he turned more to look at Magnus.

"They're settling, a few are going to return to their Zones, but a good amount of them want to stay under your command."

Alec's brows furrowed, "My command? But-"

Cat-like eyes sparkled.

"After that, I'd say you can handle it."

Magnus and Alec turned their heads toward the doorway, where Jace stood steady.

"We need a new leader around here, and you've proven that you can be what we need. That's why I've decided that you're to take over this Zone."

"I told you that you could brave this storm," Magnus held his shocked gaze, ignoring Jace's immediate exit, most likely trying to avoid Luke.

"I-I don't-"he stuttered, trying to form thoughts into words.

"You're not getting nervous about this are you," Magnus asked lightly, chucking at Alec's sudden stutter.

"Do you think I can do it," Alec asked, voice going soft and unsure.

Magnus observed Alec, the glow of the single lamp in the dim room eliminated on the table stand beside where they were sitting. It caught Alec's bright blue eyes that always reminded Magnus of what fairies eyes would look like, mysterious and filled with life.

He took Alec's scared hand with his, "I don't know who else could do it. You didn't grow up in the middle of this war, but you know what it's like to be an outcast. You know, better than any of us, what it's like in The Community and what they're doing. There are others, like you, who are trapped in that world that don't know there is something more for them. You can be their voice. If you want to."

Alec thought about it for a moment, letting his words sink in, "I want to help, and if I can make a difference, I want to make it a big difference. If my role in this is to lead, I'll make this world explode."

_For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the sheltered will never know._

_-Wiseman, Suckerpunch 2011_

**Author's Note: One more part coming up. And it looks like it'll be up tomorrow. I really like this, so I'm really excited to get these parts all posted.**

**Lots Of Love**


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